Japan — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Japan, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Japan was -0.49% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 2.19% in 1971.
Japan ranks 197 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 91%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 0.64%, so Japan sits below it. It peaked in 1971 and has fallen 122% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 364%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 33 of 37 economies; American Samoa (-1.59%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 1131% in 2011. That is 74% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1971.
World ranking. Slipped: 185th of 216 in 1961 → 160th of 216 in 1970 → 172nd of 216 in 1980 → 178th of 216 in 1990 → 182nd of 217 in 2000 → 183rd of 217 in 2010 → 185th of 217 in 2020 → 197th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | -0.49% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | -0.44% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | -0.49% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | -0.44% | +0.0 pp |
| 2021 | -0.46% | -0.2 pp |
| 2020 | -0.29% | -0.2 pp |
| 2019 | -0.14% | -0.0 pp |
| 2018 | -0.13% | -0.0 pp |
| 2017 | -0.08% | -0.0 pp |
| 2016 | -0.05% | +0.1 pp |
| 2015 | -0.11% | +0.0 pp |
| 2014 | -0.13% | +0.0 pp |
| 2013 | -0.14% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | -0.16% | +0.0 pp |
| 2011 | -0.19% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 0.02% | +0.0 pp |
| 2009 | -0.01% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 0.05% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 0.11% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 0.06% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 0.01% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 0.03% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 0.21% | -0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 0.23% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 0.24% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 0.17% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 0.18% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 0.27% | +0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 0.24% | +0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 0.23% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 0.23% | -0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 0.28% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 0.32% | -0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 0.37% | -0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 0.39% | +0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 0.33% | -0.1 pp |
| 1989 | 0.4% | -0.0 pp |
| 1988 | 0.42% | -0.1 pp |
| 1987 | 0.48% | -0.1 pp |
| 1986 | 0.53% | -0.1 pp |
| 1985 | 0.63% | -0.0 pp |
| 1984 | 0.65% | -0.0 pp |
| 1983 | 0.7% | +0.0 pp |
| 1982 | 0.69% | -0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 0.73% | -0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 0.79% | -0.1 pp |
| 1979 | 0.85% | -0.1 pp |
| 1978 | 0.91% | -0.1 pp |
| 1977 | 0.97% | -0.1 pp |
| 1976 | 1.07% | -0.2 pp |
| 1975 | 1.27% | -0.1 pp |
| 1974 | 1.33% | -0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 1.41% | +0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 1.4% | -0.8 pp |
| 1971 | 2.19% | +1.0 pp |
| 1970 | 1.15% | -0.0 pp |
| 1969 | 1.19% | +0.1 pp |
| 1968 | 1.13% | +0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 1.03% | +0.1 pp |
| 1966 | 0.91% | -0.2 pp |
| 1965 | 1.08% | +0.0 pp |
| 1964 | 1.04% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 1.01% | +0.1 pp |
| 1962 | 0.93% | +0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 0.9% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Japan’s Population growth in 1962?
0.93% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Japan’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -154.9% in total.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: -0.49%; 2024: -0.44%; 2023: -0.49%; 2022: -0.44%; 2021: -0.46%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.